May 2012
Human Progress: The Philosopher’s View Dear Reader: This month I pose the question: Is it possible for society to continue to improve limitlessly? One day, will we achieve a “perfect” society? Or, is it inevitable that populations will ultimately be curtailed by famine, disease or disaster? My investigation reveals that philosophers have greatly...
Read MoreJuly 2012
Work for All Supports: Women in Business Work for All is supporting the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). One of it’s projects in India transforms poor rural women into successful business managers. Pushpa Maurya is a 35- year-old mother of two. She is currently managing a bulk milk chilling center. This center collects milk from 56 villages and...
Read MoreApril 2012
Meeting Basic Needs Vs. Solutions For Ending Poverty The poverty line is defined as the minimum level of income deemed adequate to fulfill one’s basic needs. In 2008, the World Bank determined the international poverty line to be $1.25 a day. When I was in the second grade, I learned what qualified as “basic needs”. My teacher wrote on the board: “water, food,...
Read MoreMarch 2012
Maximum Impact for your Charitable Buck In last month’s newsletter, I related my experience in Brazil handing out school supplies and other basic necessities to children in need. I was surprised by the response I received from our readers, asking if they could contribute directly to what I was doing. There are many charities and foundations asking people to...
Read MoreFebruary 2012
Work for All – Special from Brazil by Melissa LeonardI recently spent a few days camping in Brazil. On our first night a young boy, around 8 or 9 years old, approached our campsite as we were cooking meat for dinner over the fire. This little boy was clearly malnourished and could barely speak enough Portuguese to ask for food. He said “carne”...
Read MoreJanuary 2012
Work for All Supports Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we are contributing to efforts in the Horn of Africa, where 13.3 million people are in urgent need. This project is bringing opportunity to people through “cash-for-work” programs, vocational training, rebuilding critical infrastructure, establishing markets to help...
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